The Seven Buicks of the Vanderbilt Cup Races
Buick entered seven race cars in the Vanderbilt Cup Races and its associated sweepstakes from 1908 to 1910.
The history of these Buick racers will be part of tomorrow's presentation “The Incredible Vanderbilt Cup Races of Long Island” for the Long Island Buick Club. The program begins at 8:00 pm, Thursday, April 10, 2014 at the Majorie Post Park building on Unqua Road in Massapequa. All are welcome to attend.
Enjoy,
Howard Kroplick
1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes
The railcar that carried the Buick racers to the 1908 Motor Parkway Sweepstakes.
#G26 Buick driven by Robert Burman. Finished 4th in the Garden City Sweepstakes.
#N3 Buick driven by Charlie Easter. Finished 1st in the Nassau Sweepstakes, averaging 44 miles per hour.
Driver Charles Easter and mechanician Frank Thompson
#N7 Buick driven by L.H. Titus. Finished 5th in the Nassau Sweepstakes.
1909 Vanderbilt Cup Race
#15 Buick (USA) driven by Louis Chevrolet. Finished 11th.
Chevrolet made the fastest lap in race (76.3 mph). Broke cylinder during lap 5.
The 1909 or 1910 Buick Racing Team and Buick executives. Bob Burman and Louis Chevrolet are sitting behind the wheel. For the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race, the Buick Motor Company entered three specially built Marquette-Buick racers.
1910 Vanderbilt Cup Race
Part of the 1910 Buick Team (left to right): Louie Larcener, Arthur Chevrolet, Louie Chevrolet, Charlie Miller and Pete MacGregor.
#3 Marquette-Buick (USA) driven by Arthur Chevrolet (Louis Chevrolet's brother). Finished 25th. Broke driving chain during lap 8.
Arthur Chevrolet was shown here "in despair" when forced to quit.
#27 Marquette-Buick (USA) driven by Bob Burman. Finished 23rd. Driving chain broke and hit ditch at the Massapequa Turn during lap 10.
#29 Marquette-Buick (USA) driving by Louis Chevrolet. Finished 19th.
Chevrolet led 8 of the 22 laps.
Chevrolet broke the steering knuckle during lap 16. He crashed into a parked touring car killing mechanician Charles Miller.
Deaths of two mechanicians and spectator injuries during the 1910 race put an end to the Vanderbilt Cup Races on Long Island.
It was fun presenting the Vanderbilt Cup Races and Buicks at the Long Island Buick Club on Thursday. A total of $380 was raised for Child Abuse Prevention Services at the program.
Comments
Very informative presentation about the Buicks in the Vanderbilt Cup Races, I learned something from it. The questions you asked, you knew that I knew what the answers were, so I didn’t bother giving the answers, the camera, checkered flag and the pits. Enjoy another day looking at that one of a kind and only car like that tomorrow.
From Christopher G:
Thank you so much for the wonderful presentation you did last night on the Vanderbilt Cup Races for our Buick Club. It was so informative and also fascinating - especially to see those Buick race cars!
I showed my son Anthony the book I purchased from you on the Vanderbilt Cup Races and he was excited to see the images of all the old race cars.